Zimbabwe Has The Weakest Army In Africa – STUDY
23 June 2015
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16. Zimbabwe – Power Index: 3.0955

Zimbabwe has the weakest army in Africa(on a large batch of 16 nations), a study has concluded. The African Leadership study ranks Zimbabwe number 16 with a Power Index of 3.0955. This means countries whose freedoms were purchased with this country’s cold blood such as the DRC and South Sudan are now by far superseding Zimbabwe’s might.
Since the disastrous farm invasions which began in 2000, the national army has been rocked by massive resignations that have left an entire new generation of born free soldiers (pictured) as older officers head into the diaspora for greener pastures.
“The Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) include the Zimbabwe National Army and the Air Force of Zimbabwe.
“Being a landlocked country, they lack a naval force. The country also holds a strong paramilitary force with its own air wing. ZDF includes 30,000 active personnel, 20,000 reserves, 325 armoured fighting vehicles, and 92 aircraft,” the study states.
 
 

15. Ghana – Power Index: 2.9726

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) are supervised by the Ghanaian Ministry of Defense, and are under the command of President John Dramani Mahama. The GAF’s external operations since the 1960s have seen involvement in turbulent international situations including the Rwandan genocide, the Iran-Iraq war, and the Lebanese Civil War. Active front line personnel number 13,500, armored fighting vehicles for the land forces number 125, and the GAF has 24 aircraft, and 23 naval vessels.
 


en.wikipedia.org

14. South Sudan – Power Index: 2.7689

Founded as a guerrilla movement in 1983, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) played a large and violent role in the disastrous Second Sudanese Civil War. Its commander-in-chief is Salva Kiir Mayardit, and it has a land force with 110 tanks, 250 armored fighting vehicles, 210,000 active front line personnel, and a tiny air force with nine aircraft.
abcnet.au

13. Uganda – Power Index: 2.6895

The Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) was formerly the National Resistance Army, renamed after the 1995 enactment of the constitution. It has almost managed to push the violent Lord’s Resistance Army — a children’s army — out of Uganda. UPDF relies heavily on Russian, Polish, and Chinese military materials. Its land systems consist of 350 armored fighting vehicles and 25 towed artillery pieces; 43 aircraft and eight naval vessels.
commons.wikimedia.org

12. Democratic Republic of Congo – Power Index: 2.6642

The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) started coming into its own after peace was restored following the horrendous Second Congo War, which ended in 2003. The military’s greatest asset is its land forces, although it also holds small air and naval units. Because of massive ongoing instability in the region, the U.N. has deployed armed forces to assist the FARDC. Some features of the DRC’s military include 90 tanks, 200 armored fighting vehicles, 42 aircraft types, and 20 naval vessels.
armyrecognition.com

11. Sudan – Power Index: 2.3465

The Sudanese Armed Forces serve and protect the Republic of Sudan. Their units are comprised of the land forces, air force, navy, and the Popular Defense Force–the military wing of National Islamic Front. Their enemies are the rebel group the Sudan People’s Liberation Army of the Republic of South Sudan — a result of two violent civil wars that split the nation. They receive most of their military equipment from Russia and China, including 360 tanks, 400 armed fighting vehicles, 168 aircraft, and 18 naval crafts.
Alarabiya.net

10. Libya – Power Index: 2.3353

The strength of Libya’s military comes mainly from its large cache of equipment, despite a relatively small number of active troops. Further hampering Libya’s abilities is the continuing violence and unrest stemming from the revolution which began in 2011. A stable government has yet to emerge from it. Regardless, the country still has available 2,500 armored fighting vehicles, 500 tanks, 600 towed artillery pieces, 6,500 logistical vehicles, and much more.
en.wikipedia.org

9. Angola – Power Index: 2.2599

The Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), headed by Chief of Staff Geraldo Nunda, succeeded the Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola in 1991. It has three components: the army, the navy, and the air force. Its involvement in training the armies of Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau was controversial, especially as the leaders of the 2012 Guinea-Bissau coup d’etat cited Angola’s military mission as a primary reason for an uprising. The FAA owns 920 armored fighting vehicles, 140 tanks, 270 pieces of aircraft, and has a navy of 56 craft.
commons.wikimedia.org

8. Tunisia – Power Index: 1.8635

The Tunisian Armed Forces is composed of three mechanized brigades, one Saharan territorial group, one special forces group, and one military police regiment. They have contributed to peacekeeping missions, including during the Rwandan genocide, and were forced into border clashes with Libyan rebels in 2011 during their civil war. They hold 900 armored fighting vehicles, 350 tanks, a manpower of over five million, 139 pieces of aircraft and a total naval strength of 50.
en.wikipedia.org

7. Morocco – Power Index: 1.8499

Highly dependent on foreign equipment, the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces have been involved in the conflict with the POLISARO, a liberation movement fighting for the independence of Western Sahara. They are involved in numerous peacekeeping missions, including in Somalia. The military has at its disposal 2,120 armored fighting vehicles, 1,348 tanks, 323 total aircraft pieces, and a total naval strength of 121.
Shout-Africa.com

6. Kenya – Power Index: 1.7689

Kenya has established itself as a vital participant in international peacekeeping missions, and is able to do so due to its merchant marine strength and an enormous labor force – resulting in high available manpower. Though it doesn’t possess as much of its own equipment, its role as a member of international teams allows the Kenyan military to share resources with other countries, strengthening its own capabilities at the same time.
 
YNaija.com

5. Nigeria – Power Index: 1.5261

Due to its size, it’s no surprise that several hundred thousand troops comprise the Nigerian Armed Forces — army, navy, and air force. Like Algeria, an abundant domestic oil supply eases the financial burden of involvement in military conflict. Nigeria has more than 1,400 armored vehicles, 360 tanks, and 6,000 logistical vehicles at its disposal, as well as nearly 300 aircraft and 25 high-powered naval vessels.
BBC.co.uk

4. South Africa – Power Index: 1.3467

As it hasn’t been embroiled in an international military conflict for some time, South Africa uses its highly advanced military for peacekeeping and international cooperation. Its aircraft and naval vessels are notoriously well equipped with the latest technology, and though the country has less than 100,000 active front line personnel, it has the capabilities and manpower for much more. Add to that a vast array of land system technology, and the South African military is a force to be reckoned with.
TigraIOnline.com

3. Ethiopia – Power Index: 1.3229

As a landlocked country, Ethiopia has focused its resources on developing its army and air force to an impressive degree (the GFP doesn’t penalize landlocked countries for not having a naval force). Several hundred thousand personnel make up its current force, and it has significant numbers of land and air systems at its disposal. An enormous population allows Ethiopia to maintain a large fighting force, and gives the country one of the greatest militaries on the continent.
en.wikipedia.org

2. Algeria – Power Index: 1.1698

As Algeria has a large maritime border, it has developed all its military capabilities to an impressively modern degree, including its land, sea, and air forces. Algeria’s active frontline personnel number more than 127,000 troops and it has nearly 2,000 armored fighting vehicles at its disposal. Algeria also has the added benefit of its own oil reserves, allowing it to use its own fuel to power tanks, aircraft carriers, naval vessels, and more.
En.Wikipedia.org

1. Egypt – Power Index: 0.6122

Egypt puts itself over the top with regard to military strength due to the sheer size of its armed forces. Nearly 500,000 personnel serve on its active frontline force, far surpassing all its African counterparts. It has nearly 10,000 armored fighting vehicles, 60,000 logistical vehicles, 900 aircraft, and large oil reserves from which to draw. The military has been somewhat undermined in the wake of the Egyptian Revolution, but some argue that its increased role in government has made it stronger than ever. Whether or not this is a cause for celebration or concern will remain debated for some time to come.

31 Replies to “Zimbabwe Has The Weakest Army In Africa – STUDY”

  1. the ZDF maybe on a low point since the late 2000s, but its a battled tested, combat proven fighting force baptised in the cauldron of war tht was the Great African War. Justified or not , the ZDF performed it duties exceptionally, had some units encircled twice but extricated them. it is the guarantor of the DRC government. remember in war, it is mostly abt what you do with what you have, nt jst what u have. A third of the ZDF held territory as large as Zimbabwe against Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi , the RCD and MCL rebels. the Russian army still uses the AK 47. the Viet Cong won the war against the US using AK 47. The AK 47 was chosen as the best assualt rifle in history by Ton Ten . Discovery Channel (USA). do not mistake the paramilitary pseudo-war veterans with the ZDF, or take the generals poor politics as the ZDF. Research and learn, and remember that the US Army has never won a COIN war with all its technology and tactics!

  2. the ZDF maybe on a low point since the late 2000s, but its a battled tested, combat proven fighting force baptised in the cauldron of war tht was the Great African War. Justified or not , the ZDF performed it duties exceptionally, had some units encircled twice but extricated them. it is the guarantor of the DRC government. remember in war, it is mostly abt what you do with what you have, nt jst what u have. A third of the ZDF held territory as large as Zimbabwe against Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi , the RCD and MCL rebels. the Russian army still uses the AK 47. the Viet Cong won the war against the US using AK 47. The AK 47 was chosen as the best assualt rifle in history by Ton Ten . Discovery Channel (USA). do not mistake the paramilitary pseudo-war veterans with the ZDF, or take the generals poor politics as the ZDF. Research and learn, and remember that the US Army has never won a COIN war with all its technology and tactics!

  3. Selous Scout, dnt be too angry! the ZIPRA boys may have been more professional but they had poor strategy. the wanted a conventional confronation w the RSF without a viable AIR WING, thts vain. the ZANLA boys executed a guerilla campaign in the best of Chinese Moaist doctrine. tht is what ruined you. neither ZANLA nor ZIPRA could win the battle bt the won the war jst like Vietnam, Afghanistan 81-87, Indochina 50s!

  4. V*anhu munotaurirei zvamusingazive,DRC yamunotaura nezvayo,zim solidiers were the best,talk of the battles of ikiela,manono,kabinda where zim solidiers fought and captured these places .The mazmbican campaign was a success as they managed to win major battles like the battle of cassa banan anf and gorongoza,mavonde and they successfully manged to gaurd the pipe line from mnr attack.

  5. V*anhu munotaurirei zvamusingazive,DRC yamunotaura nezvayo,zim solidiers were the best,talk of the battles of ikiela,manono,kabinda where zim solidiers fought and captured these places .The mazmbican campaign was a success as they managed to win major battles like the battle of cassa banan anf and gorongoza,mavonde and they successfully manged to gaurd the pipe line from mnr attack.

  6. The story was copied from a story that was headlined “16 best armies in Africa”
    Zimbabwe is only on the bottom list of the 16 not all 52 African countries. But this site because it’s always anti-Zimbabwe decided to twist the facts and lie to it’s readers who seem to itch to hear negative things about Zimbabwe.

  7. I am just laughing. Maybe it’s about time we seriously consider, looking for armament and challenge these people. Otherwise , we risk sinking with them in a tunnel full of shit.

  8. How do you expect them to be strong when they together with their wives, have been reduced to vendors? It is a matter of fact that both police and army personal also run a vending business. Instead of focusing on the job they are trained to do, they have to worry about their private business, stock and profit. How to source goods. In all honesty, Zimbabwe is now experiencing the stone age era. This is how far backwards, we have travelled, with mugabe at the helm. Do we as a nation , really and truly, deserve this?

  9. Insults are a sign of an empty head!!…present your own facts to disprove me. My challenge still stands…

  10. This study is a complete joke!!…if the Nigeria army was as strong as is being alleged, how come Boko Haram is having a field day there??!! In fact, several reports talk of the same army actually fleeing from the rebels, and complaining of late salaries, inadequate uniforms, and not being properly equipped…

  11. “Zambezi bushcat” you mean wanga uri MUTENGESI??!! So how & why should we believe you??!!

  12. what’s a zimbo?
    I’m Mthwakazian.
    But seriously, I don’t need to engage u much. Look at this record:
    The best economy in the world….
    The best army in the world …..
    The most educated people on earth ….
    The most advanced democracy in the world…
    The best tribal balancing Ruins ….
    The cleverest and smartest people on earth ….
    The cruellest government on earth ….
    I guess now, the ‘most travelled’ in the world …
    The most, the best, the ‘..est’, the …… !!!
    Zimbos, ake liyeke ukuphapha lifake izfuba phansi and learn from others, from the world …!!

  13. The study should include the CIO and will the rankings will change. Take military expenditure to GDP and Zimbabwe will come top!

  14. It always makes good news to associate Zimbabwe with worst rankings for anything. Zimbabwe’s army is even better than SA’s army even SA knows that.

  15. Comrades. You must all remember one thing, if it wasn’t for ZIPRA, you would have been defeated very comfortably by the Rhodesian army. Don’t for one minute think you won the war from a military perspective. No! Unfortunately It was negotiated by the West which brought an end to the war. I was an ex Special Forces member and was involved at Chimoio, Nyadzonya, Westlands Farm in Zambia and on a number of other raids, all of which were against military establishments in neighboring countries. How can you lie and refer to Chimoio as a refugee camp when there was thousands of weapons found and all members killed were armed. What we noticed throughout the war was that the Shona “always” ran away from a fire fight, unlike the ZIPRA boys who we respected these ZANLA fools always ran away. For us it was always a tea party when we were up against them. Please, don’t for one minute ever think you won the war through the barrel of the gun, it was Western political pressure on Ian Smith who brought an end to the war. The reason why we fought against Mugabe and his bunch of thieves ruling our country Rhodesia is what you see today! We knew the minute they laid their dirty Shona hands on our country that they would destroy it and take it all back 150 years, which they have done. I can guarantee you, if 50 well armed highly trained military men walked into Zimbabwe today and took on you scum bags, they would win hands down! Why. Because the majority of you would drop your weapons and run as you did thirty odd years ago. Instead, we will leave you to fight one another internally which you are doing today…we call it self destruct mode! Pamwe Chete!!!

  16. I may not like the government of the day but for any sane military man or woman or any military acquainted person to believe that Zimbabwe has the weakest army is not only myopic but foolish. What criteria have you used to determine the strength of armies in this survey?

  17. Mukaro you are a liar and biased. There was a lot collaboration of some locals who had families across the border who spread fear in the locals at Nyamaropa. An attack happened in a village when the soldiers had been moved to follow the rebels who had attacked a village and killed the sabuku in his hut about 50 km from the area you are talking about. They pursued the rebels into Mozambique on their return found villagers had run away from that village. Okay do you know the role that ZNA played in in the capture of Gorngoza and Montes Cabumeluzi. Or Marrumeu where Col Flint Magama died. Or Machazi. Or the Beira and Mabalanincorridors. The role they played in the DRC, where did you get information about the helicopter hired from SA that is false, SA does not have the hellicopters that the ZNA was using. They performed deeds of great heroism in the DRC ask the Rwandans and the rebels who were trashed to pulp. ZNA has educated senior officers with university degrees in War and Strategic studies who think out battle strategies. The Staff College that teaches African Forces and some EU forces is in Zimbabwe. before you talk ask first my friend.

  18. I’m not a military strategist but I do concur with some of these findings. The challenge with us is that we are not told of the casualties of our forces. Judging to what I saw in Nyamaropa in the early eighties, our ZNA soldiers ran away when Matsanga attacked the growth-point. Matsanga didn’t even bother crossing the boarder but we were exposed and vacated our homes.
    I think we talk more than we do. I have always asked my comrades kuti if they were that good, why didnt we liberate a single town during our liberation war? The only army which did was ZIPRA which took some areas which were no go areas for Smith. These ZANLA crew were busy eating people’s chickens and raping girls.
    We could not scramble helicopters to evacuate people in Tokwe Mkosi? The gunship we used in DRC was leased from the SA Defence forces. How then can we dream of being compared? Kuchena neuniform yakanaka vanayo and look cool on UN missions but hakusi kurwaka.

  19. Nybereanai tikuwaturei zvamusati makamboona. Unoti kuLibya kusisisina kana Army van rating iri high. Thts suicidal, try the Zimbabwean army muwone kumama kwamunoita

  20. WHAT HOT SPOTS…MASOJA EZIMBABWE AKADHURWA HOBHO NA MATSANGA PA MOZA APA……..

  21. iwe haikona ku reasona mahara…..kana iri weak iri weak mhani……you points and reasoning or defence is jst rubbish

  22. my area had no many soldiers since most of the guys from our region are not recruited, but during that time almost the few i know where wiped in DRC, the few who went there they ran away soon after getting back to ZIM. People in Zim have been brainwashed so much. if our army is too strong why keeping it as a secret. why is the gvt is not telling us the number of our brothers who died in DRC, yet the same gvt rush to publish the number of American soldiers who died in iraq.

  23. It’s very clear that you’re not only a self-hating Zimbo but also a very faithful absorber of mind-numbing propaganda without questioning anything!!
    Just to puncture a hole in your hallucinations:
    1. Why does our military staff college keep getting officers from the SADC region countries if we were that bad??!!
    2. Did you ever hear of the incident where our soldiers survived in the Pacific Ocean after an accident on the high seas??!!

  24. THIS IS A TOTALLY USELESS, FALSE & UNSCIENTIFIC STUDY!! I’m sure there’s a certain, hidden agenda!!
    Interrogating this study further, there are too many fatal flaws:
    a. What exactly was the objective of the study? What were the inclusion & exclusion criteria?
    b. Some of the things to consider when looking at armies include intangibles like courage, resilience & patriotism. How do you measure & compare these? Objectively speaking, an army is more than guns, helicopters, grenades, etc; you have to factor in the human element coz the hardware needs human operatives!
    c. Time & again history has taught us that supposedly weak armies have defeated their more numerous & better equipped enemies. So a study labelling armies as weak or strong just like that is AN EXERCISE IN SELF-DECEPTION
    d.it’s very ignorant if not downright stupid to conclude that coz Zim doesn’t have a navy therefore it’s weak!!

  25. Bvunza vanobva kwaGutu kune masoja akaenda DRC. Taiviga masoja more than 10 every month ne DRC war.Kuita kudambugwa koga koga.

  26. ZNA is laughable … in doctrine, capability and equipment. Many people confuse the ruthlessness of the zim governmnt on its people as military strength (beating up unarmed civilians). The ZNA is totally laughable!! And outside SA, Black Africa’s armies are also jokes. And when army ‘generals’ are pictured with all those useless entanglements of ‘medals’ (Zim army is infamous for that) they are the ultimate caricatures of armies.
    ZNA standard rifle issue — an AK47 … klwaaaa aaaaa ….. !!!! ZNA shldn’t even be on this list at all! Ngama Dzakudzaku nje in different unifrom…

  27. The army is ranked according to civilian protection,armoury, professionalism, disaster preparedness which is critical.The army does not only hold war weapons.The army trains nurses, doctors, fire fighters, disaster management teams.When you have famine, it is the army which goes and distribute the food.This is because the army works in times of national disasters.When disease outbreak occurs like foot and mouth, the army moves in .When floods occur, the army evacuates people with is helocopters.
    Its a pity people in Zimbabwe associate the army with beatings.Those are the guys who must fit anywhere where disaster happens.To prove that Zimbabwe’s army is far from credible
    1 They did not take action in Tokwe Mukosi floods.No helicopters to airlift the people
    2 Tourist drowned in Chinhoyi caves 2010, Zimbabwe had to hire army navy seals from South Africa to search for the body, they found the body in a day
    3 Instead of protecting the people, they are notorious for not wanting to stand in line for anything, be it in bank or anywhere.Beat people in he name of army
    4 The Thornhill airbase, which is critical in international war territory, has no modern equipment
    5 The radar system used by the army was left by Smith.Tsvangirai entered Zimbabwe through the Buffalo Range airport in Chiredzi while the military was camped on top of the Harare kopje looking for any small aircraft landing on farms, bringing Tsvangirai from South Africa.That was in the early 2004.
    6 The army does not have a strategy to train its Nurses, doctors, scientists,disaster management teams, fire fighters ..Its non existing to them
    7 The army is too politicised and there is no unity in the army.While the general consensus among the Defence forces is that Phillip Sibanda must be the Army General, the politics put two classmates in front,Chiwenga and Shiri
    There is absolutely no public confidence in the army.Despite the Police corruption,its surprising the civilians trust the police

  28. Were you with the Zimbabwe Defence Forces in the Battle Fields..stop spreading your silly lies………..

  29. Don’t ever ever fool yourselves with such hogwush surveys!!! The Zimbabwe Defence Forces have shown their mighty in quelling uprisings in many hot spots of Africa. Without the ZDF, we would be talking about DRC today; Mozambique today!! The most highly disciplined and professional army!! Check on their record in Peace Keeping Missions – Darfur Region; Liberia; etc…..

  30. LED BY A CONFUSED AND UNPROFESSIONAL SOLDIER LIKE CHIWENGA..WAT DO YOU EXPECT……THE ARMY HAS LONG LOST ITS PURPOSE IT IS JST USED TO SERVE THE INTEREST OF MUGABE… ITS MORE OF MGABE S PRIVATE SECURITY COMPANY………BASA IHONDO NA TSVANGIRAI NE VANHU VE ZIMBABWE……..ZIMBABWE JST NEED A FRESH START ON EVERYTHING

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